THATTA, July 28: The afforestation wing of the forest department has got vacated 1,012 acres of fertile land from the possession of unauthorized cultivators in 19 forests and realized Rs2,315,050 from them as penalty in Thatta.

This was told to the Sindh minister for forest, wildlife, environment, food and cooperative departments, Hassan Ali Chanhio, in briefings at the Makli circuit house and at Garhko Forest here on Saturday.

These lands fall in Hillaya, Lallang, Shah Lunko, Bao Purandas, Bijora, Garhko, Sadnani, Cut Munarki, Marho Kotri, Moolchand and other forests.

The minister was told that some 102,142 acres of riverine forest land, 65,229 acres of irrigation plantations, 622,656 acres of range land existed in Thatta, Tando Mohammad Khan and Karachi forest divisions.

Briefing the minister, the conservator of the forests afforestation circle, Mehboob Alam Ansari, said out of 3,750 acres in Garhko Forest, 110 acres were under oil palm plantation, 1,300 acres under Babul plantation and 220 acres were raised under various varieties of coconut by the coastal development authority (CDA) and the forest department.

The minister was further informed that from July 1, 2002, to June 30, 2002, over 560 acres had been brought under coconut and oil palm tree cultivation in seven forests of the district besides developing 1,000 acres for coconut and oil palm plantation.